Back in 2011, Pat DuFrane leased an 1895 building in the heart of Menasha for his dream restaurant, WeatherVane. He put in seven-day workweeks hoping that the place would survive.

WeatherVane did far more than survive. It flourished.

The small breakfast/lunch spot at 186 Main St. outgrew its 54 seats, and he leased the building next door to handle overflow and brunches.

A scant two years later, WeatherVane is bursting at the seams again. Its kitchen staff has to stand back when it’s time to open the big oven’s doors. Handling the growing catering side is a juggling act at times because of the space crunch.

“It was getting too small for the volume we’re doing,” DuFrane said. “We had 75,000 customers in one year. It’s like we served everyone in Lambeau Field.”

DuFrane and his wife Julie decided to go big and make a major commitment to their business. They’re in the process of not only buying their two current buildings, which they’ve leased to date, but are also buying a third building next door, the now-closed Juanita’s Korona Klub. Between the purchase and improvements, DuFrane figured it will be an investment of $800,000.

“We thought ‘it’s time,’” he said. “If we don’t do it now, property values would have gone up and someone else would have bought the building next door. We’d have no room to expand.”

The looming office tower under construction across the street was a deciding factor. “It probably played the biggest role in this whole deal. If it wasn’t going to go, I wouldn’t have done this. Probably not,” he said.

The real estate purchases should be finalized next week, and then an architect will draw up a new design for the Korona Klub space inside and out to make it blend with the vintage feel of the existing buildings. If work isn’t completed by the busy holiday party period, it will open in the spring by the time office workers move into the new tower.

DuFrane and his staff of 20, including daughter Melanie DuFrane, will get the elbow and breathing room they need. The Korona Klub space will give them a multi-use area for more seating, waiting area, Menasha-theme gift shop, catering area, small bar and a full liquor license.